Cycling is best learned where you feel safe and can try things out in peace – far away from dense city traffic. That's exactly why there are now great cycling practice areas in Graz that help children build their riding technique, balance, and traffic understanding step by step. Whether you are a little beginner or already have a bit more skill, here you will find the right place to have fun on two wheels. The cycling lobby has even created a fantastic cycling practice area map for all of Austria, giving you an overview of the locations and their accessibility. This way, we always know where the next cycling action awaits!
What are cycling practice areas anyway?
These special facilities are super versatile and adapt to different age groups and difficulty levels. From the absolute basics to sporty training on pump tracks, everything is included. The most important thing: Here, our kids can practice without motorized traffic! They learn to start, brake, navigate curves, maintain balance, and orient themselves in a relaxed manner. Mistakes are allowed and even encouraged here, as this is how safety grows naturally.
Category 1: Cycling playgrounds – Fun, play, and pedals
A cycling playground is basically a paradise for little cyclists: a public, protected, and above all, free space. Here, children can learn to ride a bike playfully, improve their dexterity, and develop confidence and joy in movement along the way. Typical features include simple practice elements, colorful ground markings, small obstacles, and plenty of open space for their own creativity. The cycling lobby particularly recommends these places for children aged about 3 to 12 years – perfect for balance bikes and the first attempts with pedals. Here, safety, balance, and joy of riding grow hand in hand, creating a great foundation for active mobility later in life.
Cycling playgrounds in Graz – Our highlights
And the best part: Since 2025, Graz has two permanent cycling playgrounds just waiting to be discovered by you! Whether you come alone, with friends, or with the whole family – there’s room for everyone who wants to move.
- Fischeraustraße (Augasse 81a-81b): This cycling playground is cleverly combined with a children's playground. Here you will find color-coded cycling routes for different difficulty levels, a cool pump track module, slalom, balance elements, ramps, and even modeled tram tracks and curb simulators. This way, you can practice how to navigate real traffic safely!
- Ortweinplatz: On an approximately 400 square meter previously unused area, this temporary cycling playground has been created. Here too, there’s a pump track module, slalom poles, a wooden ramp, a steep curve, and marked courses. The cool thing about it: The facility is flexible and can even be relocated!
Both Graz cycling playgrounds are open on weekdays from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM, and on Sundays and public holidays from 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Remember: Bicycles, balance bikes, and scooters without electric drive are allowed, and the helmet requirement according to the road traffic regulations always applies! In between, you can take a little break, enjoy your snack, and chat with other cyclists. And keep your eyes open: At events like the Kidical Mass or mobility festivals, temporary cycling playgrounds are set up again and again – a great opportunity to practice!
Category 2: Traffic gardens – Learning rules playfully
Traffic gardens, sometimes also called traffic education areas, are ideal for memorizing traffic rules. Here you will find traffic signs, traffic lights, and ground markings that simplify the real traffic reality – but without motorized traffic. This makes them super safe for initial rule and orientation training. They are particularly important for school groups and for preparing for the voluntary cycling test. Here, it’s less about wild play and more about learning traffic rules, right-of-way situations, and rule-compliant behavior.
The Graz traffic garden
The old location in the city park is unfortunately history, but don’t worry: Since 2021, there has been a new, modern traffic education garden on the premises of the ÖAMTC state headquarters at Alten Poststraße 161. The best part: It is available to all parents and children free of charge! A great opportunity to get fit for road traffic.
Category 3: Pump tracks and dirt parks – For the sporty among us
Pump tracks are circuit facilities with waves and curves that are usually ridden without much pedaling. The momentum comes from the so-called "pumping" – that is, by deliberately loading and unloading the bike with arms and legs. The cycling lobby sees pump tracks more as sports facilities for more experienced children from about 8 years old. They are less intended for absolute beginners, as the focus here is on riding dynamics, rhythm, and athletic movement, not on learning the basics.
Pump track offerings in Graz
If you are already a bit more confident on the bike and are looking for sporty challenges, then the Radpark Graz in Mariatrost is just right for you. A fantastic facility has been created there on approximately 2,000 square meters, inviting you to pump and let loose!
So, are you excited to try out the cycling practice areas in Graz yourself? Grab your bike and your loved ones and hit the track! See you there! #bikegraz
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